Mapping Georgia: Experts create first digital topographical map since 1991

Georgia is teaming up with Norway to create the country’s first digital topographical map since 1991, showing detailed natural and man-made features that will be extremely helpful for locals and foreigners exploring the country.

Topographical maps are detailed, accurate graphic representations of features that appear on the country’s surface. These features include:

• Cultural: roads, buildings, urban development, railways, airports, names of places and geographic features, administrative boundaries, state and international borders, reserves.
• Hydrography: lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, coastal flats.
• Relief: mountains, valleys, slopes, depressions.
• Vegetation: wooded and cleared areas, vineyards and orchards.

These maps are generally used for recreational purposes, such as travelling, hiking and orienteering, but they are also used by the government and industry to assist with urban planning, mining, emergency management and the establishment of legal boundaries and land ownership. 

With support from the Norwegian government, Georgia’s National Agency of Public Registry under the Ministry of Justice was actively working to create the map that when complete will be the country’s first 1:10,000 scaled topographical map since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. 

The Agency has already selected 600 keys with their own unique codes to represent special features, places or interesting aspects of Georgia. 

The complete version of the map will be unveiled in 2022. 

However before then the developing map will be uploaded to the Agency’s webpage  www.napr.gov.ge and visitors will be able to observe the map as it is updated and finalised.